


Where We Find Remittance

by Carnivorous_Comma



Category: Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Genre: Bad End Friends, Beast!Wirt - Freeform, Bill Cipher is a Jerk, Bipper, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, IceFinn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2018-09-25 10:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9814709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carnivorous_Comma/pseuds/Carnivorous_Comma
Summary: He blew out the lantern. That solved all their problems and they're free to go home, right? The secrets of the Unknown extend much further than anyone originally thought. Maybe some universes don't die, they all have to go somewhere.#badendfriends





	1. A Lingering Flame

The light was gone and the world became a wall of solid darkness. I sighed in relief, those glowing eyes had disappeared with the lantern's glow. I was going to find my way after Greg and Beatrice when the soft whispers reached my ears. I peered into the nothingness instinctively holding up the useless source of light.  
Was the Beast not gone?  
I spun trying to see anything. Something touched me. 

A cold and wet snake began to wind itself around one of my legs. As I tried to pull out of its grasp another one wrapped sound my other leg before suddenly I was covered in whatever these tendrils were. I panicked still trying to escape while simultaneously knowing that it was too late. I was twisting and pulling at them but they tightened like ropes around me. My legs were swept out from under me as they pulled my ankles together. With my arms restrained I watched the dark forest approach before hitting my unprotected face against it. 

I felt dizzy and pained as they clung so tightly I could scarcely get a breath. They squirmed around my face engulfing my head in their grip. I wanted even more desperately to struggle but they had effectively sapped all my strength. All I could do was mentally writhe as rainbow blotches of color flashed across my vision. I must have lost consciousness but I was still completely aware of the restricting ties that were going to kill me. 

I could feel them loosening already and I struggled to free myself for a whisper of air in my lungs. They weakened and finally fell apart releasing me from the torture. I gasped and coughed as my lungs couldn't decide if air was good or not. I hyperventilated for a while before I was finally able to bring my breathing back to normal. 

The forest had returned to golden lit autumn, all the snow was gone. I still felt funny after my near strangulation but I managed to get to my feet with only minimal swaying. It seemed I was okay and there was no sign of the creatures that had attacked me. I guess I just had to reunite with Greg and Beatrice. Where would they have gone? That tree that Beatrice had left me at before seemed like the best option but I wasn't completely sure where it had gone in the blizzard that had blanketed the wood.  
Looks like I was lost in the Unknown.  
Again. 

I sighed and carefully readjusted my hat that had somehow stayed on. I froze as my hand encountered something. What was that in my hair?  I searched with my hands and found a set woody antlers coming out of my head. I tugged on them but they wouldn't budge. 

"What are these!" I pulled harder, desperately. 

Why did I have antlers? Had the snake things done this to me somehow? 

I let my arms drop in defeat, tears pricking my eyes. What was I going to do now? I couldn't go home with these, whatever they were. Maybe Beatrice would know what to do. 

I couldn't move I realized. 

What was wrong with me?

I felt wrong. 

I looked down at the lantern in my hand and fear slid across my back. It was lit again.


	2. What's Lost in the Wood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What waits within the wood. Greg? Beatrice?

I dropped the lantern. At least I meant to, but I couldn't make my fingers release it. Whenever I tried nothing happened as if I couldn't control my own body, it was frustrating. After I had told the Beast I didn't want the dumb thing somehow I end up unable to put it down. I lowered it onto the ground gently and tried to pry my fingers off. It still didn't work   
I tried swinging my arm to fling it out of my grip. I couldn't do that either.   
I huffed with exasperation. The thing wasn't exactly light either, fun. 

I decided to let the implications of what was happening stew in my unconscious instead of dealing with them now. I was good at that.   
I looked at the small growth of an Edelwood tree that had almost consumed my brother. We had come from, that way? And I had moved this way, meaning that the tree was in an easterly direction, assuming that's North. Yes, that way. 

I started in the direction that I thought, no I was sure, was the right way. How had they gotten away so quickly? Greg looked half dead and Beatrice couldn't carry him as a bird. I suppose she could have used the scissors to become human again. But even if she had, carrying a small boy would slow her down considerably.   
She couldn't be far ahead. 

For a moment I missed the snow, at least the white powder would have left an easy to follow trail. Now I was guessing on top of conjecture, I could be going in the complete opposite direction. I sighed slowly, it didn't matter no matter which direction I went I was sure to find someone or something that could orient me or give me assistance. No reason to panic, Beatrice would take care of Greg. I just had to find them. 

Easier said than done. 

Walking quickly got tedious and I missed Greg's endless rambling and Beatrice's cutting comments. No matter how annoying they were at least they were something more than the rustling leaves that surrounded me. It was so, lonely. 

Journeying through the endless expanse of sunlit leaves   
without the old company to warm the chill of wind that sweeps through the stoic trunks

That, didn't help. May have made it worse actually.

I would have lost track of time if the sunlight hadn't changed quality falling into the orange glow of sunset. Looked like I wouldn't find anything today, it would be smart to find shelter and make a fire probably. I wasn't particularly tired and the temperature was considerably temperate for the middle of autumn. I could keep going.   
The bright forest around me gently died into a blackened wood of shadow. I could still see well enough thanks to that dumb lantern that I had almost forgotten was attached to my hand. 

"At least you're good for something."

I cleared my throat after my voice came out all froggy. I hadn't used it all day, not since this morning. 

Even with the light it was harder going in the night, without being able to see the approaching scenery it was hard to be sure that I was still walking straight. I could gradually be moving off course. I was reassured when a small swinging light became visible in the distance. I began to run towards it in anticipation. The light grew steadily until the forest opened into a clearing. I recognized the place now, it was the creepy tavern that we'd kind of gotten directions from. They might be able to help or Greg and Beatrice might be here already. I slowed to a walk as I went up the path to the door. The door was probably blocked by that dog again. I pushed against it experimentally and it stuck in the same way it had before. I pushed it open enough that I could get in and as I tried to enter I was flung back pain radiating through my head.   
Stupid. I'd forgotten about the antlers and they'd hit the door frame, too wide to pass through. That really hurt, I rubbed my head trying to soothe the pain. I wouldn't be doing that again anytime soon.   
I maneuvered through the door carefully this time with lots of head turning. I sighed in relief as I managed to get my way through the narrow entrance. 

I turned to the room to see it erupt into a flurry of screaming and running. 

"What's going on?" I asked as someone, the tailor maybe, dove out through a window. 

I looked down at the lantern held out in plain sight. They thought I was the Beast. 

"No, I'm not. It's me, Wirt, The Pilgrim." I tried desperately to explain. 

"Lies." The Tavernkeeper hissed before escaping out the back somewhere. 

The rest escaped the room through various methods of egress except the Butcher who was too big for the windows and unable to open the door that the Tavernkeeper had left through. He glanced around before his eyes fell on me. I was about to try and talk to him when he began to charge at me screaming ferociously. I held up my hands in an innocent gesture, well one of them the other was still locked around the lantern. He didn't even slow to consider, knocking me aside like a paper doll with his massive arms.   
I collided hard with the ground and pain blossomed in sharp bursts across my body. I felt something snap and heard the door swing shut after the Butcher's exit. The place was empty, abandoned as I struggled back to my feet. I seemed intact except for some bruises. I discovered that the snapping had been one of my antlers breaking. A black branch looking piece was on the ground the end oozing black liquid. 

I reached toward the injured antler, touching the jagged broken end that was sticky with the same liquid. Could I just break these off then? It'd be easier to get help if people weren't fleeing in fear. I reached up to touch one, they had about the same strength and feel as a tree branch and they weren't very thick. It should be easy. I was ready to do it but I was held back by the same kind of reluctance that keeps you from harming yourself. Somehow I knew it would hurt, even though the breaking before hadn't. It was off putting.   
I just had to find my friends, they weren't as crazy as the people in the tavern and they would recognize me. 

I considered waiting here since it was a likely spot for us to meet up. I didn't want to wait in an empty building alone. At least if I was walking I wouldn't be as idle. Keep myself busy and distracted. I had to decide where to head next. Maybe to see Mr. Endicott, I wondered if he was nearby. I also realized that in my wandering I had ended up at the tavern even though, logically, I shouldn't have been anywhere near it. Wasn't there a river between here and where I'd been? I might be more lost than I had thought. 

A crash of underbrush distracted me from my thoughts. Someone nearby?  
A flash of movement floundering in the edge of my vision.   
"Hello?" I called at the dark clothed figure. 

More scrambling in the bushes before a blurry shape bag an sprinting at me. I raised the lantern to defend myself with, stupid but whatever, but he stopped right in front of me. 

"Hello to you." A golden eyed boy smiled at me mischievously.


	3. Monsters On Parade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Man this is one weird kid. Where did he come from?

"Oh, uh hey there. And you are?"

  
"Bill, at your service anything you need I've got."

  
He bowed a little. Weird kid, why were there so many weird people here?

  
"Wirt..."

  
"Pleasure to make the acquaintance of one so pointedly capped."

  
"Uh, okay. Thanks?"

  
"You're welcome."

  
"You wouldn't have happened to have seen a little kid with a kettle on his head, or a talking bluebird. I've been looking for them."

  
"No, they sound delightful. Maybe I could give you a hand."

  
"Oh, that's very nice. I appreciate that."

  
He sounds sincere but he just looked so creepy, untrustworthy. His eyes were that strange burning gold and he smiled a little too much straining his face. I couldn't judge too much, in this place nothing was as it seemed.

  
"I can't help but feel we've met before."

  
"Uh, I don't think so."

  
"I may have been otherwise attired, like you."

  
"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

  
He was in a Halloween costume too, some kind of spooky priest or something like that. He still wasn't familiar, even if he was in civilian clothes I doubt I knew him.

  
"You don't. Interesting."

  
Weird people in this weird place, I let the words slide. He took the hint to drop it.

  
"Who are these people you're looking for? Friends?"

  
"One is, well they both are. I mean one is my brother, or half brother, so he's a friend too. Yeah friends."

  
"Nice. It's always good to see old friends, or make new ones."

  
"Uh-huh." Boy I hope this wasn't as awkward as it felt.

  
I gestured lightly with the lantern.  
"I'm going this way."

  
"Lead on friend." He gestured me ahead. I almost didn't notice the way his eyes tracked the light with some kind of excitement.  
Yeah, this was definitely awkward.

  
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Way to break the ice, mental high five.

  
"Thought I might check in on an old friend. I had a job opening that I thought he might fill."

  
Okay? This twelve year old was talking about old friends and jobs, did he think he was some kind of mob boss? I shrugged it off.  
"That's cool."

  
"Yes. I am very cool."

  
I swear the tension in this conversation was making my shoulders stiff. It's gonna take hours of therapeutic alone time in my room to get over the nervous energy this kid sent through my body. Glancing to my side at him it was obvious that he was completely oblivious to the atmosphere. He kicked through the leaves viciously, like maybe he had something against them. Or maybe I'm imagining things due to how strange a day this had been.

  
“Does your friend live this way?” I asked again gesturing in the direction that we’d begun plodding.

He looked after my hand to the distance where I’d pointed as if carefully studying it.

“Maybe.” He relented in an off hand manner, seeming more engaged in staring at the air above my head.

I looked up but saw nothing returning a quizzical gaze on him. I wondered what Beatrice would think of him. He was super suspicious but seemed friendly, sorta like the people of Pottsfield. Just as I began to mentally compare him to that looming pumpkin figure he started laughing. I’m not sure if that’s the correct word for it though, it was more like some crude facsimile to laughter, one drenched in insanity.

I hadn’t even said anything and here he was casually breaking down as if I’d told a hilarious joke. I kept the silence, who had I just signed on with as a traveling companion?

He stopped gradually wiping tears from his eyes roughly, almost as if he didn't care about his eyes.

“Sorry Gnomehead, just remembered a joke someone told me.”

Gnomehead?

“Oh, really?” I said awkwardly my voice cracking a little. “What was the joke?”

“You had to be there.” He said keeping up that grin and once again looking into the air.

I looked again but there was still nothing. Oddly enough, I noticed there was nothing save the wind. None of the usual bird song or forest life illuminated the forest. Maybe they were scared of me too.

Suddenly the radiance of the morning sun was boring into my eyes. I veiled them with my unoccupied hand searching my surroundings through the brightness. It was the clearing road that lead straight into Endicott’s garden. At last something to break this weird trek. I ignored how little geographical sense it made, I’d rode a ship with clothed frogs before. I was just glad that all the places I’d been looking for had been so easy to find.

“Your friend’s house?” Bill asked way to happily.

“Yeah.” I answered, figuring it was easier to say than explaining the mess of relativity that led me to coming here.

“Anyway,” I segued smoothly, “Thanks for your help. I should be fine from here.”

“I couldn’t leave without knowing you found your friends safe and sound. Let me escort you the rest of the way.” He equally easily dismissed my, obviously too subtle, attempts to get him to leave. He was nice, I guess, but that didn’t change the fact that he was getting creepier every moment I spent with him.

“O-okay, thank you.” What was I supposed to say? No thanks, you kind of scare the crap out of me? Some younger kids are just weird and they usually aren’t trying to seem completely psychotic, it's just a development thing. That almost reassured, almost.

“I’m sure Mr. Endicott won’t mind the extra visitors.” I briefly touched the end of one of the antlers. “At least I hope he doesn’t.”

The gate was open and the garden was in its usual state of exuberance almost seeming to defy the autumnal decay of the rest of the forest. It would have been a bit more pleasant if I couldn’t hear Bill giggling creepily behind me. I swear he’s going to give me a heart attack if he doesn’t cut that out.

I tugged on the door knocker, a dull thump echoing around the area. It was far too foreboding an atmosphere for a sunnily lit autumn morning.

When I didn’t get an answer I thumped on it a few more times. It was a big house, and he might be in the other house that was connected to this one. Should I just go in?

Before I had time to weigh the option Bill slid past me and went right inside, the door unlocked and swinging heavily open.

“Looks open to me.” He said before disappearing inside. I sighed, maybe I should have expected this. I took off after him getting sudden painful reminders of often having to do the same with Greg. Greg wouldn’t be like this when he got older would he? I’m not sure if I could handle that many years of herding him around.

“Bill wait!” I whispered loudly after him. Sure I’m pretty sure he would welcome me but I wasn’t sure that welcome would extend to any kid that happened to follow me in off the street.

“I don’t think we should just wander around in here!” Even though that’s the exact thing that I’d done the last time we’d visited. Shut up brain.

“Bill, come back!” He seemed to have vanished without a trace into the infinite hallways. Darn it. I began to look around hoping to not run into anyone and find Bill first. There weren’t any lights on and without any windows in the interior the hallways were gasping maws of darkness. Definitely not the most inviting sight.

“Bill?” I implored the gloom squinting to try and decipher any details there.

I nearly facepalmed.

“How do I keep forgetting about you?” I whispered down at that stupid lantern that seemed almost to mock me in a shimmering flicker.

I held it up finding my way easily through the dim corridors but still finding no trace of Bill. I just hoped he wasn’t breaking anything. Or attacking anyone. Both of those seemed up his alley from what little I know of him.

I was making my way towards where I thought the dining room might be when I had a terrible sensation of being watched.

“Bill?” I turned, swinging my light in an attempt to catch a glimpse of whatever, probably Bill, was sneaking up on me. Only dull grey shadows swayed before me and I once again chalked it up to my imagination.

I moved back to continue looking for BIll. My light caught the edges of an evilly grinning face mere inches from my own.

“Boo.” The figure I dimly recognized as Bill cooed.

I jerked backwards in surprise a choice expletive coming off my tongue before I could actively contemplate speaking. If that wasn’t enough, as I backed away clumsily I swear I saw a transparent figure lurking behind Bill.

“There actually is a ghost here!” I shrieked in a tone I wasn’t completely proud off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I've really been trying to practice and work up good writing habits and sadly this has fallen on the wayside a bit. But look new chapter! You're not too mad right?


End file.
